Camera with means for superimposing images on exposures

Abstract

The camera of this invention can create a composite image on a frame of film that includes an image of an object whose picture is being taken by the camera and an image stored on a mask disposed within the camera. The mask is preferably disposed on a mask cartridge that can be inserted and removed from the camera. Disposed on the mask is a plurality of mask objects whose images can be created on a frame of film. The camera preferably includes a first and a second film exposing chamber. A first section of the mask is preferably disposed in the first film exposing chamber. In this first film exposing chamber, a first portion of a frame of film is preferably exposed and an object image of the object whose picture is being taken with the camera is created on the first portion of the frame of film. In the second film exposing chamber, a second portion of the frame of film that was not exposed in the first film exposing chamber is preferably exposed to a mask object stored on the mask to create a mask image on the second portion of the frame of film. Thus, by exposing a different portion of a frame of film in a different chamber within the camera, a composite image can be created on a frame of film. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the first portion of a frame of film is exposed at a different time then the second portion of the frame of film. In another preferred embodiment of this invention the first and the second portion of a frame of film are exposed simultaneously to form a composite image.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A camera for creating a composite film image that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion and a mask image on the second portion, comprising: 
       a main body and a back cover;  
       a mask cartridge, disposed between the main body and the back cover, the mask cartridge comprising a mask that has a mask object and a mask advancing mechanism for advancing the mask;  
       a first chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the first portion to the object external to the camera whose picture is being taken with the camera to create the object image on the first portion; and  
       a second chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the second portion to the mask object to create the mask image on the second portion of the film.  
     
     
       2. The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of spools and the mask is wound around the spools. 
     
     
       3. The camera of  claim 1 , further comprising a viewfinder and wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a viewfinder mask that is viewable in the viewfinder. 
     
     
       4. The camera of  claim 3 , wherein the viewfinder mask comprises an image that corresponds to the mask object on the mask. 
     
     
       5. The camera of  claim 3 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of viewfinder spools for advancing the viewfinder mask. 
     
     
       6. The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of spools on which the mask is disposed and a viewfinder mask that is also disposed on the pair of spools and wherein the mask advancing mechanism is coupled to the pair of spools and can be manipulated to advance the mask and the viewfinder mask simultaneously. 
     
     
       7. The camera of  claim 1 , wherein a light source is disposed in the second chamber. 
     
     
       8. The camera of  claim 7 , further comprising a film advancing mechanism for advancing the film and activating the light source when the frame of film is advanced to the second chamber. 
     
     
       9. The camera of  claim 8 , further comprising a capacitor that is in electrical communication with the light source and that is activated by the film advancing mechanism to activate the light source. 
     
     
       10. The camera of  claim 1 , further comprising a flash and a light pipe, the light pipe being disposed between the flash and the second chamber, for transmitting light from the flash to the second chamber when the flash is operated and thereby exposing the second portion and creating the mask image of the mask object on the second portion. 
     
     
       11. The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the mask comprises 
       (I) a first section, disposed between the back cover and the first chamber, the first section having a first region for exposing the first portion and a second region for masking the second portion, so that when a picture of the object external to the camera is taken, the object image is created on the first portion and the second portion of the frame of film is masked; and  
       (ii) a second section of the mask being disposed between the back cover and the second chamber and having a first region for masking the first portion after the object image has been created by exposing the first portion of the film in the first chamber and a second region that has the mask object for generating the mask image on the second portion of the film, so that when the film is exposed in the second chamber the mask image of the mask object is placed on the second portion of the film.  
     
     
       12. The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the mask comprises a plurality of sections, each of the sections having a first portion that is transparent and a second portion that has the mask object. 
     
     
       13. The camera of  claim 1 , wherein the mask further comprises a plurality of mask images and the camera further comprises an interlock, coupled to the main body, that is operative to prevent moving the mask after the first portion has been exposed in the first chamber until the second portion is exposed in the second chamber. 
     
     
       14. The camera of  claim 13 , wherein the interlock, is coupled to a picture taking mechanism, the picture taking mechanism being operative to expose the first portion in the first chamber and to enable the interlock to prevent moving the mask after the first portion has been exposed in the first chamber. 
     
     
       15. The camera of  claim 14 , wherein the interlock comprises a film advance lever, that is operative to move the film from the first chamber to the second chamber, expose the film in the second chamber and to disable the interlock. 
     
     
       16. The camera of  claim 15 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of mask spools around which the mask is wound and that are coupled to the mask advancing mechanism, so that manipulation of the mask advancing mechanism moves the mask and permits one of the plurality of mask images to be selected for exposure in the second film exposing chamber. 
     
     
       17. The camera of  claim 16 , wherein the interlock further comprises a lever, that is rotatably mounted within the camera, and a mask wheel that is coupled to the mask advancing mechanism, the lever being operative to engage the mask wheel to prevent operation of the mask advancing mechanism and movement of the mask in response to operation of the picture taking mechanism. 
     
     
       18. A camera for creating a composite film image that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion and a mask image on the second portion, comprising: 
       a main body and a back cover;  
       a mask, disposed between the main body and the back cover, the mask comprising a plurality of mask objects;  
       a mask advancing mechanism, coupled to the mask, and being operable to move the mask, so that one of the plurality of mask objects may be selected for exposing to the film;  
       a first chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the first portion to the object external to the camera whose picture is being taken with the camera to create the object image on the first portion;  
       a second chamber, disposed in the main body, and the mask being moveable through the second chamber so that the one of the plurality of mask objects selected with the mask advancing mechanism may be exposed to the second portion in the second chamber; and  
       an interlock, coupled to the main body and engageable with the mask advancing mechanism to prevent movement of the mask by the mask advancing mechanism after the first portion has been exposed in the firs t chamber and until the second portion is exposed in the second chamber.  
     
     
       19. A camera for creating a composite image on a film that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion and a mask image on the second portion of a mask object disposed on a mask, comprising: 
       a main body and a back cover;  
       a first chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the first portion to an object external to the camera whose picture is being taken with the camera to create the object image on the first portion;  
       a second chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the second portion to the mask object to create the mask image on the second portion of the film; and  
       the mask comprising:  
       (I) a first section, disposed between the back cover and the first chamber, the first section having a first region for exposing the first portion and a second region for masking the second portion, so that when a picture of the object external to the camera is taken, the object image is created on the first portion and the second portion is masked; and  
       (ii) a second section of the mask being disposed between the back cover and the second chamber and having a first region for masking the first portion after the object image has been created by exposing the first portion in the first chamber, and a second region that has the mask object for generating the mask image on the second portion, so that when the film is exposed in the second chamber the mask image of the mask object is placed on the second portion.  
     
     
       20. The camera of  claim 19 , further comprising a mask cartridge in which the mask is disposed. 
     
     
       21. The camera of  claim 20 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of spools on which the mask is disposed. 
     
     
       22. The camera of  claim 20 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a mask advancing mechanism for moving the mask within the camera. 
     
     
       23. The camera of  claim 19 , further comprising a viewfinder and a viewfinder mask that is viewable in the viewfinder window. 
     
     
       24. The camera of  claim 19 , wherein a light source is disposed in the second chamber. 
     
     
       25. The camera of  claim 24 , further comprising a film advancing mechanism for advancing the film and activating the light source when the frame of film is advanced to the second chamber. 
     
     
       26. The camera of  claim 25 , further comprising a capacitor that is in electrical communication with the light source and is activated by the film advancing mechanism to activate the light source. 
     
     
       27. A camera for creating a composite image on a film that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion and a mask image on the second portion of a mask object disposed on a mask, comprising: 
       a main body and a back cover;  
       a first chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the first portion to the object external to the camera whose picture is being taken with the camera to create the object image on the first portion;  
       a second chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the second portion to the mask object to create the mask image on the second portion;  
       a mask cartridge;  
       a mask disposed within the mask cartridge comprising:  
       (i) a first section, disposed between the back cover and the first chamber, the first section having a first region for exposing the first portion and a second region for masking the second portion, so that when a picture of the object external to the camera is taken, the object image is created on the first portion and the second portion is masked;  
       (ii) a second section of the mask being disposed between the back cover and the second chamber and having a first region for masking the first portion after the object image has been created by exposing the first portion in the first chamber and a second region that has the mask object for generating the mask image on the second portion of the film, so that when the film is exposed in the second chamber the mask image of the mask object is placed on the second portion.  
     
     
       28. The camera of  claim 27 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of spools on which the mask is disposed. 
     
     
       29. The camera of  claim 27 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a mask advancing mechanism for moving the mask within the camera. 
     
     
       30. The camera of  claim 27 , further comprising a viewfinder and a viewfinder mask, disposed in the mask cartridge, that is viewable in the viewfinder window. 
     
     
       31. The camera of  claim 27 , wherein a light source is disposed in the second chamber. 
     
     
       32. The camera of  claim 31 , further comprising a film advancing mechanism for advancing the film and activating the light source when the frame of film is advanced to the second chamber. 
     
     
       33. The camera of  claim 32 , further comprising a capacitor that is in electrical communication with the light source and is activated by the film advancing mechanism to activate the light source. 
     
     
       34. A camera for creating a composite image on a film that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion of the film and a mask image on the second portion of the film of a mask object disposed on a mask, comprising: 
       a main body that has a film exposing chamber defined in the main body; and  
       a mask cartridge that has a mask and a mask advancing mechanism for advancing the mask, the mask cartridge being disposed in the main body so that the mask extends across the film exposing chamber, the mask having the mask object for creating the mask image of the mask object on the frame of film.  
     
     
       35. The camera of  claim 34 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of spools and the mask is wrapped around the spools. 
     
     
       36. The camera of  claim 34 , further comprising a viewfinder and wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a viewfinder mask that is viewable in the viewfinder. 
     
     
       37. The camera of  claim 36 , wherein the viewfinder mask comprises image that correspond to the mask object on the mask. 
     
     
       38. The camera of  claim 37 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of viewfinder spools for advancing the viewfinder mask. 
     
     
       39. The camera of  claim 34 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of spools on which the mask is disposed, a viewfinder mask that is also disposed on the pair of spools and wherein the mask advancing mechanism can be manipulated to move the mask and the viewfinder mask simultaneously. 
     
     
       40. The camera of  claim 34 , further comprising a second chamber for exposing the film to the mask object disposed on the mask. 
     
     
       41. The camera of  claim 40 , further comprising a light source disposed in the second chamber. 
     
     
       42. The camera of  claim 41 , further comprising a film advancing mechanism for advancing the film and activating the light source when the film is advanced to the second chamber. 
     
     
       43. The camera of  claim 42 , further comprising a capacitor that is in electrical communication with the light source and is activated by the film advancing mechanism to activate the light source. 
     
     
       44. The camera of  claim 40 , further comprising a flash and a light pipe, disposed between the flash and the second chamber, for transmitting light from the flash to the second chamber when the flash is operated and thereby exposing the second portion of the film and creating the mask image of the mask object on the second portion of the film. 
     
     
       45. A camera for creating a composite image on a film that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion and a mask image of a mask object disposed on a mask on the second portion, comprising: 
       a main body and a back cover;  
       a first chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the first portion to the object external to the camera whose picture is being taken by the camera to create the object image on the first portion;  
       a second chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the second portion to the mask object to create the mask image on the second portion;  
       a flash;  
       a light pipe, disposed between the flash and the second chamber, for transmitting light from the flash to the second chamber; and  
       a mask cartridge, disposed within the main body and the back cover, the mask cartridge comprising a mask that has a plurality of selectable mask objects from which the mask object, whose image is to be created on the second portion, can be selected.  
     
     
       46. A mask cartridge that can be inserted into and removed from a camera to create a composite image on a film, comprising: 
       a first and a second mask spool;  
       a mask extending from the first mask spool to the second mask spool, the mask having a plurality of mask objects for creating images on the film; and  
       a mask advancing mechanism coupled to the first and the second mask spools for moving the mask between the first and the second spools.  
     
     
       47. The mask cartridge of  claim 46 , further comprising a viewfinder mask that has images of the mask objects on the mask. 
     
     
       48. The mask cartridge of  claim 46 , wherein the mask comprises a plurality of sections, each section having a first region that is transparent and a second region that has one of the mask objects. 
     
     
       49. The mask cartridge of  claim 48 , wherein the mask comprises a plurality of first sections that are adjacent to a plurality of second sections, each of the first sections having a first region that is transparent and a second region for masking a first portion of the film and each of the second sections having a first region for masking a second portion of the film and a second region that has the mask object for creating the mask image on the first portion of the frame of film. 
     
     
       50. A camera for creating a composite image on a film that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion of the film and a mask image on the second portion of the film of a mask object disposed on a mask, comprising: 
       a film exposing chamber;  
       a view finder; and  
       a mask cartridge comprising a mask which has a plurality of mask objects and view finder mask which has a plurality of view finder mask objects that correspond to the mask objects, such that the camera user can view one of the plurality of view finder mask objects in the view finder while the corresponding mask object is disposed in the film exposing chamber.  
     
     
       51. The camera of  claim 50 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a mask advancing mechanism that can be manipulated to simultaneously move the mask and the view finder mask so that when one of the view finder mask images is disposed within the view finder and a corresponding mask image is disposed within the film exposing chamber. 
     
     
       52. The camera of  claim 51 , wherein the mask cartridge further comprises a pair of mask spools around which the mask and the view finder mask are wound and which are coupled to the mask advancing mechanism. 
     
     
       53. A camera for creating a composite film image that has a first portion and a second portion by generating an object image of an object whose picture is taken with the camera on the first portion and a mask image on the second portion, comprising: 
       a main body and a back cover;  
       a mask cartridge, disposed between the main body and the back cover, the mask cartridge comprising a mask that has a mask object;  
       a first chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the first portion to the object external to the camera whose picture is being taken with the camera to create the object image on the first portion;  
       a second chamber, disposed in the main body, for exposing the second portion to the mask object to create the mask image on the second portion of the film;  
       a picture taking mechanism, disposed on the camera, that when manipulated exposes the first portion of the film disposed in the first chamber to create the object image on the first portion; and  
       a film advancing mechanism, disposed on the camera, and coupled to a light source which is in communication with the second chamber, such that when the film advancing mechanism is manipulated the light source is activated and the second portion of the film disposed in the second chamber is exposed to the mask object.  
     
     
       54. A mask cartridge, comprising: 
       a housing;  
       a first and a second mask spool disposed within the housing;  
       a mask comprising a plurality of mask objects for creating a mask image on a frame of film;  
       the mask being wound around the first and the second mask spools; and  
       a mask advancing mechanism coupled to the first and second mask spools for moving the mask between the first and the second mask spools.  
     
     
       55. The mask cartridge of  claim 54 , wherein the mask comprises a plurality of sections, each section having a first region that is transparent and a second region that has one of the mask objects. 
     
     
       56. The mask cartridge of  claim 54 , wherein the mask comprises a plurality of first sections that are adjacent to a plurality of second sections, each of the first sections having a first region that is transparent and a second region for masking a first portion of the film and each of the second sections having a first region for masking a second portion of the film and a second region that has the mask object for creating the mask image on the first portion of the frame of film. 
     
     
       57. The mask cartridge of  claim 54 , wherein the housing comprises a first and a second film exposing chamber. 
     
     
       58. The mask cartridge of  claim 54 , wherein the housing comprises a mask shield which is disposed between the first and the second mask spools. 
     
     
       59. The mask cartridge of  claim 54 , further comprising a viewfinder mask that has images of the mask objects on the mask. 
     
     
       60. The mask cartridge of  claim 59 , wherein the viewfinder mask is wound around a first and a second view finder mask spool which are both disposed within the housing. 
     
     
       61. The mask cartridge of  claim 60 , wherein the first mask spool and the first viewfinder mask spool are disposed on a common shaft.